One Night Could Change Everything
by Freelancer21
Summary: What if Sawyer and Kate had met before becoming murderers? Sawyer is about to fly to Australia while Kate prepares to blown up Wayne… and then they meet. I'm not exactly following the show's timeline. Please forgive me. :
1. Chapter 1

Title: One Night Could Change Everything  
Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: Sawyer/ Kate  
Summary: What if Sawyer and Kate had met before becoming murderers? Sawyer is about to fly to Australia while Kate prepares to blown up Wayne… and then they meet.

I'm not exactly following the show's timeline. Please forgive me. 

Warnings: None  
Status of fic: WIP  
This chapter has been beta-ed by Darbi, to whom I'm extremely grateful. Thank you so much!

#Disclaimer#

_I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Lost". They were created by JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof and they belong to them, Touchstone, and ABC._

Thanks for reading!

Jenn

**Prologue**

"Now, if I'm not mistaken, I'm fairly certain I said I'd kill you if I ever saw you again," Sawyer said as he held Hibbs against the wall.

"That's why I'm here, to make things right," the man tried, raising his hands as a peace gesture. "Besides, we both know you ain't the killing type."

Wanting to prove what he was saying, Hibbs pulled an envelope out his pocket and threw it on a table.

"Here. I figure that makes us even for the Tampa job."

"What could possibly make us even for the Tampa job?" Sawyer growled, but he still let go of Hibbs.

"How about the known whereabouts of the man that ruined your life? I'm going to make myself a drink. You want one? You remember old man Parks, right? Ran capper for us on that gig in Atlanta."

"Yeah, what about him?" Sawyer wondered in a hostile way as he seized the envelope and opened it.

"He's been working the wire at an off track parlor down in Sydney. Last week one of his regulars gets a little too sauced, starts running his mouth off about his glory days as a grifter. That guy, Frank Duckett. Real hard luck case - gambling addict, alcoholic, runs a shrimp truck. Back in the day this guy Duckett was quite the hustler. He ran the romance angle, hooked the wife and took the husband for all the money. He was pretty good at it, too, from what I hear. Till, sadly, one of his marks, in despair, took a gun, shot up his wife and blew his own head off. All in front of their little boy. I paid Tony to pull his jacket. Turns out Frank Duckett used to be named Frank Sawyer. A name I believe you appropriated for yourself."

Sawyer found a picture and studied it, a disgusted expression on his face.

"This is him?"

Hibbs nodded.

"That's him."

**Chapter 1**

Sawyer pushed the restaurant door, worn out and hungry.

The place was just the typical American diner you saw in the movies. Wide windows with the words 'Restaurant' and 'Lunch' painted on them in big yellow letters. A long counter in front of which were at least a dozen stools, a couple of them occupied by truckers taking a pause from their long trips.

Along the windows were several booths. Sawyer let himself fall into one as he continued to scan the place. Yep, classic small town restaurant. All that was missing was the middle-aged, gum-chewing waitress he expected to show up at his table any second now.

Sawyer sighed and ran a tired hand over his eyes. He felt drained, not only physically, but mentally mainly. After Hibbs had left his room the previous night, he had had no desire to go to the bar and get the woman he had been with earlier. No, all he had felt like was jumping into his car and drive away. Drive far, far away.

A totally unexpected reaction, if he had given himself time to ponder on it. Finding Frank Sawyer, the man who had destroyed his life and his parents', had been his goal for the better part of his life. Even if he hadn't actually done anything to locate him in a good while, his hatred for that scumbag was what had kept him going. The fact was, he had nothing else in life but that revenge vow.

He was nothing other than a prospect murderer.

"Hi," Sawyer suddenly heard. He was startled as he raised his eyes to look up at the woman standing near him. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that the waitress actually was a young, long-legged brunette, a far cry from the one he had expected. "Have you made your choice?" she asked.

For a second Sawyer couldn't speak. He had met more than his share of fine-looking women in his life, but few of them could compare to her. She was a quiet, natural beauty. With her long, curly brown hair, full lips and perfect body, she could have been a model. What the hell was she still doing in such a craphole place? She should have been in Paris or Milan, making millions instead of wasting her life in the middle of Iowa. Maybe she was married to the local plumber or something, he figured, but unable to really believe it.

"Yes. I'll have… you," he replied with a naughty grin, hitting on her without really meaning to. It was sort of a reflex, after all those years of making a living out of seducing women.

As if she meant 'Oh, come on', the waitress snorted and rolled her eyes.

Rolled her eyes? Sawyer was bowled over. He would have expected many reactions; a roguish comment, a seductive wink, cheeks turning red, even a slap in the face. But an eye roll? That was a first. He couldn't help but grin widely. The girl had seen right through him, through his ridiculous pick up line. He liked that.

"Okay then, I'll have a beer and a steak sandwich. Please…" He read her name tag and added: "Kate."

A smile played on her lips and she nodded before heading behind the counter where she opened a beer and grabbed a plate on which a hamburger was sitting. Sawyer watched her with interest, his curiosity about her being a welcomed break from his own torment. There was something about that girl… She was different, he felt it. He made a living out of reading people, but her… He just couldn't. And it aroused his curiosity.

The hamburger was destined to a man in his late forties and Kate set it in front of him. But as she turned away to bring Sawyer his beer, the man unceremoniously spanked her rear end. Without hesitation, the young woman pretended to stumble and emptied Sawyer's beer all over the man.

"Son of a bitch!" he yelped.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized unconvincingly, to Sawyer's delight. "Here, use those napkins."

Sawyer chuckled, liking how the girl had defended herself. Leaving the man to his cleaning attempt, she walked up to Sawyer and, noticing he was silently laughing, she smiled.

"I'll be right back with another beer, sir," she told him.

"As long as you don't drop it on MY lap," he joked.

"Just don't give me any reason to," she replied playfully before walking away. A short moment later, she was back with the beer and his sandwich.

As she bent down a bit, setting the plate on the table, Sawyer noticed her cute freckles and, on an impulse, said:

"Thanks a lot, Freckles."

With a tiny smile she replied, "Enjoy your food, sir."

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The sky was now completely dark but Sawyer kept on looking outside as he ate. Well, truth was he appeared to be looking through the window, when in fact he was watching with interest Kate's reflection in it. 

During the last half-hour, she had glanced anxiously at least a dozen times at the clock. She had even picked up the phone and dialled a number, and Sawyer had noticed her obvious concern when no one had answered. What was going on?

Later, when she had came to take back his empty plate and bring him some coffee, he had noticed the dark circles under her green eyes. Yes, something was definitely eating her and at this moment he wanted nothing else but to find out what it was.

So he drank his coffee slowly, hoping he'd learn a few more things about her. It wasn't as though he had anything better to do. Frank Sawyer would keep on selling shrimps a few days longer…

Sawyer's patience was rewarded as he finished his second cup, when a middle-aged, blond woman entered the restaurant. Kate rapidly walked up to her.

"Ma, where have you been?" she asked her. She tried to speak in a low voice, but Sawyer was able to make out what she was saying. "You should have been here over an hour ago! Did he hurt you again?"

"I'm fine, Katherine," the woman replied defensively. "That doesn't concern you."

"How's that wrist?" Kate asked, sounding irritated.

"What, this?" her mother wondered, showing her bandaged wrist. "You know how that shelf in the kitchen sticks out sometimes. You'd think I'd remember it was there, but I banged it."

Even from his point of view, Sawyer could see Kate's shoulder tensing at her mother's obvious lie.

"Don't," she just said coldly.

Her mother sighed, and, before stepping behind the counter, concluded:

"I made my bed, Katherine."

Her reply evidently wasn't to Kate's taste and, without another word, she quickly headed to the back of the restaurant where she pushed an "Employee Only" door.

Figuring Kate's shift was now over, Sawyer extracted a few bills from his wallet and set them on the table to pay for his meal. Somehow, he hated the idea of leaving town without getting to know what was haunting her. He'd bet his last con's earnings that she was bothered with something more than the violence her mother seemed to be facing regularly.

As he got up to leave, the young woman reappeared, crossing the restaurant decidedly. She didn't spare a glance to her mother who called after her:

"Katherine!"

Kate stopped, and, after a second, turned around.

"Where are you going?" her mother asked.

"That doesn't concern you, Ma," she replied, sounding more tired than angry.

"Kate…"

Kate sighed.

"I'm going for a beer, Ma."

She then turned around and left, her mother following her form, sadness evident in her eyes. As the door closed behind her, Sawyer felt an invisible force prompting him to follow the brunette. What was he going to do now anyway? Drive all night? He was too tired to do such thing. He could get a room at the motel he saw while driving into town. Then what? Being in a motel room, alone with his thoughts, wasn't appealing to him at all. Maybe… Maybe he should just head to that bar, too? Another beer didn't sound quite bad right now. Yeah, that was a good idea, he decided.

So Sawyer pushed the restaurant's door as a motorcycle roared out of the parking lot. Hurriedly, he got into his car.

If he had been honest with himself, he would have admitted he was going to the bar only out of curiosity toward that girl. But being true to himself wasn't an habit of his and that was just the way he liked it.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kate left the restaurant and headed to the local bar to make sure Wayne was there as usual. Then, she would go home and wait. Wait to set her plan in motion.

She was driving fast, faster than she should have been on that uneven road. But she knew it almost by heart, having worked at the restaurant for several years and, before that, having often ridden her bicycle down this path after school. She had been in the habit of doing her homework at the restaurant when her mother was working. Anything to avoid being stuck at home with Wayne.

Within a few minutes, Kate arrived at the bar. She entered the parking lot and immediately noticed Wayne's old blue pick-up truck. So he really was there, drinking until he was barely able to drive back home. Just as he did almost every night.

He was a drunk, a violent, disgusting man and had always been that way. She hated him with all her heart. The fact that she had just found out that he was her biological father only made her hatred of him increase exponentially.

If she went through with her plan... She and her mother would be free at last, she repeatedly told herself as she stared blankly at the bar's door. All he did on this Earth was bring pain, she reasoned, trying to convince herself that this was the right thing to do. Since she had decided to do this, her resolve had not waned a bit, but now that the time had come... She realised she still had doubts. Could she really go through with this?

Maybe if she went inside the bar and watched him for a short while, seeing him one last time for who he really was, it'd strengthen her decision?

Kate got off her motorcycle and entered the joint.

The first notes of Patsy Cline's 'Crazy' reached her ears as she looked around and quickly noticed Wayne being his usual repulsive self. What her mother could see in such a person was beyond her. How could she prefer him over the man Kate considered to be her father, Sam Austen?

She ordered a beer and sat in a corner, far enough away so Wayne wouldn't see her. The last thing she wanted was for him to come and bother her, for him and his disgusting friends to make stupid comments about her.

She hadn't been seated for longer than five minutes when a tall, blond man entered the place and walked up to the bar. His back was turned to her as he spoke with the barmaid, but she easily recognised him.

It was the man from the restaurant.

As Kate discreetly watched him, he sat at the bar and scanned the room. It seemed to her as though his eyes stayed on her for an instant longer then they normally should have. Did he recognise her, even in the shadows? Would he come and talk to her?

In another time or place, maybe she would've wished he did, but not now. The life-changing act she was about to make occupied all her thoughts, and that was the way it had to remain.

But as she watched Wayne, she found her gaze wandering more and more often towards the blond man. He intrigued her, she had to admit that much to herself. Yes, he was handsome. If he'd shave, he could have been the star of some of those old black and white movies her mother watched all the time.

But his good looks weren't the reason she felt such curiosity towards him. From the moment he had set foot into the restaurant, she had noticed how tired, even haunted he looked. In fact, he looked just how she felt lately.

The thought was a bit unsettling. Could someone really be going through something remotely similar as to what she was?

Trying to focus once again on Wayne, Kate glanced in his direction. He had just ordered another beer and ungentlemanly touched the waitress as a thank you. Kate felt like throwing up. How could such a person count for half of her genetic baggage?

Without her really wanting them to, her eyes settled once again on the stranger. He was watching Wayne with interest and Kate wondered why. Maybe he found him funny? She had a hard time believing such thing. No, there was something about that man that lead her to think he would never treat women the way Wayne did. Even when he had hit on her, she had found it so ridiculous it was funny. And his smile at her reaction had shown that he agreed.

Suddenly, his gaze left Wayne and their eyes met briefly.

Troubled, Kate decided it was time to go.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few minutes later, Kate was home. No, this wasn't home, it hadn't been since the day Sam had left. Rather, this was the house she was living in, was captive in.

Why hadn't she left the place before? She could easily have started a new life somewhere. But she had stayed, probably to protect her mother as long as she could stand it. What would he do to her if Kate was gone? No witness, no one to call the police or take her to the doctor?

But upon learning the truth about Wayne, Kate had decided enough was enough. Something had to be done to stop him, to allow Kate to leave this place without looking back, with the knowledge that her mother would be fine. They could both start over. Her mother could find herself a nice man, a man like Sam Austen. Be respected, get to travel a bit, maybe. Get out of this awful Iowa town.

As Kate entered her bedroom for the last time, reflecting on a few good but mostly bad times she'd had there, she saw her reflection in the mirror. She quickly averted her eyes. Would she ever stop seeing his sickening face in hers?

She glanced at her watch. Wayne wouldn't be home for another two hours at least. Everything was ready. She had packed a few of her mother's belongings and hidden the box in the garden shed. All there was left to do was to turn on the gas. And then she'd leave. Forever.

Kate grabbed her own bag and, without looking back, left her room. In the kitchen, she opened a drawer and picked up a lighter. As she did, she heard a car coming. She froze for a second. Could it be Wayne already?

She walked up to the window and saw the car slowly go past the house. She exhaled, relieved. It wasn't him.

Deciding to be ready if Wayne came back early, she turned on the gas and exited the house. Outside, she sat on the porch, playing absently with the lighter.

So, she was going to do it? End another human being's life? She had no illusions as to what would happen after that. The cops would quickly find out about the insurance policy she had taken out for her mother's benefit and suspect something. They'd look for Kate, she had no doubt about that.

But she didn't mind running. Running from this life, running from herself... it suited her perfectly.

Suddenly, Kate heard a noise coming from the trees bordering the property. There was someone there, she was certain of it.

Going back inside the house, she knew what she had to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sitting at the bar, drinking his beer, Sawyer tried to understand what was going on.

Something was evidently up with Kate. So far, he had gathered that her mother was with a man who hit her. And that man was probably the one Kate was staring at right now. Middle-aged, not exactly what you'd call handsome, no respect for the waitresses, heavy drinker... Why would she come here and watch him?

Slowly, Sawyer took another sip. He knew exactly why Kate was here tonight, studying her prey. He knew it because she was doing the same thing he'd been doing since Hibbs had showed up in his hotel room: trying to convince himself that he had murder inside of him. Focusing on what had happened because of Frank Sawyer and how he'd ruined his life. Trying to find the strength to become someone he hadn't been meant to be.

Clenching his jaw, he glanced at Kate. He'd have bet that this was exactly why she was here, too. To steel herself enough to go through with what she had planned.

Unexpectedly, their gazes met in the shadows. Why was she looking at him? Had she recognised him? Upon meeting his eyes, Kate immediately looked away before getting up and leaving the bar in a hurry.

Surprised with her sudden move, Sawyer once again faced a choice. Now that she was gone, he had no interest in staying here in this sty bar. What could he do now? He was too tired to go very far, so his only option, really, was to get a room at the local motel. Maybe he'd be lucky and fall asleep rapidly, forgetting about his problems for a few hours, but there was virtually no chance of that happening. Even if he fell asleep, the nightmares would come, he knew this from experience.

Leaving his unfinished beer, he got up and exited the bar.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a re-enactment of what had happened earlier, Sawyer stepped outside as Kate's motorcycle roared out of the parking lot. Once again, Sawyer got into his car and hit the road. Coincidentality, the path to the motel was the same Kate had just left on and he tried to keep up with her, never losing sight of her.

What did he want exactly? Why couldn't he just forget about her, get a room and drink till he passed out? What was he going to do anyway when she stopped? Somehow, he didn't want to answer these questions.

He kept on following her for a couple of minutes until a car arrived in the opposite direction, blinding him briefly with its lights. When Sawyer was finally able to see clearly again, Kate was nowhere in sight.

He had lost her. He cursed under his breath, irritated. Now he couldn't pretend that he was going to the motel anymore. No, he wanted, needed to find her. He didn't know why exactly, but he felt like Kate's fate was intimately tied to his own.

So, going slowly, he scrutinized every house he passed by, in search of any sign of her. He was getting restless when he finally came by a house in front of which a motorcycle looking like hers, was parked.

His heart rate increased. What should he do now?

There were trees bordering the property, so he stopped his car on the side of the road, hidden from any occupants. Not taking a second to think the whole thing through, he exited his car and shut the door.

Trying not to make too much noise, Sawyer entered the trees and walked towards the house. An instant later, he saw Kate sitting on the front porch. Waiting, obviously. She was absently playing with something that he couldn't quite distinguish. Was it a lighter? Curious, he took another step, but, focused as he was on Kate, he hadn't noticed the big rock at his feet. He tripped, grabbing a branch to stop his fall. Of course, it made some noise and Sawyer let out a muffled curse when he saw that Kate was looking in his general direction. She had heard.

From where he was standing, Sawyer saw her get up and go inside the house. Swearing repeatedly, he wondered what to do now. Would she come back outside again? Was she calling the police? He cringed. The last thing he needed was the authorities to get interested in him. But instinct was telling him that it was the same for Kate, so he relaxed a little.

A few moments went by as he stood there, undecided. At last, he sighed. There was no point in staying here like a moron. As he prepared to take off, a voice startled him.

"What do you want??"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"What do you want?" Kate asked the man coldly.

A second ago, she hadn't been surprised to find out that it was him stalking her. But why was he so interested in her? Her instincts were telling her that he didn't want to harm her, that he wasn't a pervert or anything of that sort. No, she sensed there was a serious reason for his presence and the thought was unsettling, to say the least.

The man turned to his left to face her and she was amazed to see a mocking smirk on his stubbly face when he noticed the rifle she was pointing at him.

"Freckles, I've got so many answers to that question I don't even know where to start," he drawled in response.

Kate bit her lip, annoyed. The fact that he didn't seem to take her seriously irritated her.

"Why are you following me?" she shouted as she raised her firearm, showing him she meant business.

Still unimpressed, the stranger leant against a tree. For a few seconds, he stayed silent, as if he'd been wondering if he should reveal or not. At last, he looked down briefly before staring intensely at her.

"Because something tells me you're about to do something you wish you didn't have to do."

Taken aback by his apparent ability to read her, Kate didn't know what to say. What had she done that could possibly have let him know such a thing? Had he been spying on her for longer than she thought? Was he with the police? Somehow she didn't think so.

"How would you know that?" she threw back at him, trying to hide her trouble.

Once again, he didn't reply immediately. There seemed to be an epic battle raging inside of him. 

"Never mind," he finally let out, shaking his head as he stood straight again.

Kate sensed that he was about to leave and, to her surprise, she felt distressed at the thought. It was suddenly crucial for her to know who he was and why he was there.

"Tell me," she asked quietly as she lowered her gun.

The blond man raised a stunned eyebrow, clearly not having expected such a request on her part. This seemed to give him the confidence he needed to answer her question at last.

"Because I'm in the same situation," he replied, shrugging as if it was no big deal, but he couldn't help his eyes telling another story.

From the moment she had first seen him at the restaurant, Kate had suspected they had something in common, but to hear it confirmed bothered her. She had always felt as though no one could possibly ever understand her and to now have someone tell her that he could was upsetting. She was going to kill Wayne, going to run away from this town, as she had planned to do. The police would come after her, condemning her to prison or to a perpetual fear of being caught. But being the awful person she was, she deserved no less.

No, this man wasn't going to come by and shatter all her certitudes at once.

"You know nothing about me," she stated frostily.

"I know enough, Freckles," he sighed, not looking more enthusiastic than she was about that fact.

"What is it to you anyway, huh?" she snarled. "What do you want from me? To _talk_??"

He didn't reply, but she could read him just as easily as if he had. The man was obviously as distressed as she was to find someone who could understand, someone who'd tell him he didn't have to do whatever he thought he needed to do.

In fact, it was much easier for the both of them to just go on with the way things were, even if it meant ending another human being's life.

"Go. Now," she ordered him, raising the rifle again.

The stranger looked at her as if he wanted to say something else but changed his mind at the last second. His eyes expressing a profound sadness, he gazed at her one last time. He seemed disappointed, like a secret hope he'd had had just been crushed.

Without a word, resigned, he turned on his heels and walked away.

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Staying several feet behind him, Kate followed him until she saw his black car trundle away.

To her bewilderment, she stood there for a long moment, feeling as though she had lost something important. Even if they had hardly talked, she felt some kind of connection with him. How could that be? She didn't even know a thing about the man. Well, her rational mind didn't, but her instincts already knew plenty.

Even though it had seemed to cost him a superhuman effort, he'd been reaching out to her, it was as clear as day to her. What was he going through, she wondered? If he had guessed right about her… he had implied that he was going to kill someone, too. 

Since he didn't strike her as a bad guy, Kate was puzzled at the thought. She could see that there was something genuinely good in him. Could you be a good person and do bad things?

It wasn't a question in her case, really. She was a bad person and there was nothing she could ever do about it. Once she'd thought there was a chance, but ever since learning that Wayne was her real father, she knew there was none.

From the time Sam had left her mother, back when she was five, she had thought she wasn't good enough for him. If she had, he wouldn't have moved to Tallahassee, or he'd have taken her along with him. That was something she just couldn't comprehend as a child. Growing up, she had done everything she could (being a straight A's student, for example) to show him and herself she was good enough. But a month ago, when she had learned Wayne was her real father... it all became clear to her. Sam didn't think she was good because her biological father was the worst human being you could imagine.

Kate sighed and walked back to the house. Wayne was going to be home in a little while, but now she could hardly concentrate on that. All she think about was how that man was going to ruin his life. On an impulse, she decided that blowing up Wayne could wait another day. She needed to talk some more to the man who'd visited her. Even though it was too late for her, maybe she could help him?

If he hadn't left town, the stranger was probably at the local motel. Kate went inside the house, put the rifle back in place and turned off the gas. She opened the windows to get rid of the smell. She opened the cabinet and found an almost full bottle of vodka, then went outside to grab her backpack and stuffed the bottle inside it.

She was going to talk with that man and change his mind.

She jumped on her motorcycle and headed to the motel, hoping she hadn't blown her chance to do something right once in her life.

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If Sawyer hadn't been in such a bad mood when he entered, he would have been pleasantly surprised with the room. For such a small town motel, the room was more spacious and cleaner than he'd have expected. There was a king size bed on one side and a small table and two chairs on the other side, plus a big television set in front of the bed.

But when he closed the door behind him and threw his bag in a corner, Sawyer saw nothing of all that. He was too angry to care about the place.

What on Earth was wrong with him?? Following that girl? Letting himself have this tiny hope that she could understand? _Help_, even???

He didn't even really want any help or understanding. No, all he needed was to get this over with. To kill Frank Sawyer and then end this life of misery.

Because that was what he was going to do. Wait till morning, buy himself a one-way ticket to Sydney and find that son of a b. Shoot him to death and give him that damn letter he'd been carrying around for so long. Do the thing he had lived for as long as he could remember.

Then, there would be nothing left for him to live for. He wouldn't come back from Sydney, and no one would ever miss him. Hell, many people would even be glad that he had left this world.

Sawyer took his boots off and sank into the bed. He wrathfully flipped through channels for a few minutes, never finding anything that could make him focus on anything other than _her_.

He had been stupid to think this girl could change everything, stupid to think there was any way around killing Sawyer. It was his destiny, so why bother?

What he needed was to get goddamn wasted, he thought, but it was too late to buy anything. Should he go back to the bar?

Before he could decide, he heard a knock on the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

He sighed, exasperated. What now, he wondered as he got up?

"Who is it?" he growled as he approached the door.

"It's me. Kate," a hesitant voice answered.

Kate. Damn. What did she want now? He clenched his jaw in irritation. Going to her had been a mistake that he wasn't about to repeat. Being with her only meant unwanted introspection, unwanted feelings. As he forcefully opened the door, he resolved to get rid of her.

But when his eyes fell on Kate standing in front of him, he froze, silently taking her in. She was wearing the same Janis Joplin t-shirt she had been earlier, a denim jacket and hair tied in a ponytail. She was simply stunning and it took Sawyer a great effort to tear his gaze off her. Shaking himself up mentally, he spoke at last.

"What do you want??" he asked not nicely at all, using the words she had earlier.

Ignoring the antagonism in his voice, she replied calmly.

"I though we could both use a few drinks."

Sawyer finally noticed the vodka bottle she was holding and sighed. He recognized her gesture stood as a peace offering. His eyes met hers and in them he saw the same need he tried to hide in his. The need to find someone who'd understand.

He didn't know why exactly, but he couldn't help caring about this girl's fate. While he wasn't concerned about ruining his life, he felt the urge to stop her from doing the same. Why? Why—when it would be so much easier to forget about her?

He didn't know the answer to that question. All he knew was that he had to let her in, even though he was, without a doubt, going to regret this.

"Do you read minds?" he asked with exaggerated playfulness before showing her in.

She came in and he closed the door behind them. Being with her tonight wasn't going to change his plan. He was still going to Australia as soon as possible, he told himself in an effort to play down the importance of her presence in his room. He would help her, that's all. The last of his rare good actions on this Earth.

Now more at ease with his decision to let her in, Sawyer walked to the dresser and grabbed two glasses while she put down her bag. Lifting his eyes, he glanced at the mirror in front of him and their gazes met through it.

He saw a brief hesitation in her eyes. Not fear; no, rather the look of someone who knew the moment was defining one, an unavoidable one. Who was afraid of the outcome but determined to go all the way.

Not wanting to face the fact that he felt the same way, he tried to lighten the mood.

"Sorry, but I've got no ice," he said with a forced smile.

"It's okay," she replied simply as he stepped toward her and set the glasses on the table.

He then took the vodka bottle from her and their fingers brushed. An inexplicable wave of desire washed over him as they did. He suddenly wanted nothing else but to kiss her. Annoyed with himself, he focused his attention on the bottle and opened it. What, now he got all worked up over a little finger touching? What was wrong with him?

The most disturbing thing was the fact that this yearning was different from all that he'd know in his life. It wasn't only sexual attraction; no, there was something else. But he didn't want to know what, he decided angrily.

All he knew was that he had to help her and get rid of her as soon as he could. He filled the two tumblers and handed one to her. Standing there, they drank silently for a moment.

"Is this his?" he finally asked, pointing at the vodka bottle.

She hesitated, as if she first had to make sure her answer wouldn't reveal too much.

"Yes," she answered at last.

"Who is he?"

Kate briefly looked away before giving a response.

"Wayne. He's my… father."

Sawyer was shocked.

"You want to kill your dad??"

Immediately he saw Kate's features harden.

"I don't consider him as such," she pounded. "Plus, who says I want to kill him?" she added defensively.

Sawyer swallowed his vodka.

"Oh, come on, Freckles. He hits your ma. I've seen you look at him in that bar, wait for him with that lighter in hand. You had murder written all over your face," he explained, a little smile playing on his lips, like this was all no big deal.

To this, Kate replied nothing. Bingo. He was right.

Knowing he had to push harder if he wanted to get her to talk and then to convince her not to kill Wayne, Sawyer sat on the bed, his back to the headboard. He then pointed at the end of the bed with the bottle, in a silent invitation. But Kate didn't move an inch and he shrugged.

"Tell me. Why are you here?"

The reply came after a second or two.

"Because you said you were about to kill a man. I don't want you to."

"You don't want me to?" he repeated, genuinely surprised. Why would she care about what he did or not? "How is it any of your business?"

"Because I don't want you to ruin your life," she stated, looking intensely at him.

Well aware of the irony of the situation, Sawyer chuckled.

"And why do you care?"

"I think you're a good person."

Her words caused an uneasy feeling to grow inside of him. She had no idea who he really was, what he had done, what he was about to do.

"You don't know me, Freckles," he said, his smile long gone.

"I know enough," she stated, using the words he had back at the house.

If he had tried to understand what was going on inside of him, the reason he became so angry at her words, he'd have realised he was scared to death. He had never been close to anyone since his mother had died, had never found anyone who'd care, or would try to understand him. So the only thing he could think of to protect himself was to push her away.

"You think so?" he exploded, jerking up from the bed. Grabbing an envelope from his back pocket, he brutally handed it to her. "You want to know what kind of human being I am? Read it! Out loud."

Seemingly in shock, Kate took the letter out of the envelope with trembling hands and began to read.

"Dear Mr. Sawyer, you don't know who I am but I know who you are and I know what you've done. You had sex with my mother and then you stole my dad's money all away. So he got angry and he killed my mother and then he killed himself, too," she read, her voice low and shaky.

"Don't stop now. You're just getting to the good part," he commented sarcastically.

Kate went on.

"All… all I know is your name. But one of these days I'm going to find you and I'm going to give you this letter so you'll remember what you've done to me. You killed my parents, Mr. Sawyer."

Without raising her head, obviously troubled, Kate proceeded to put the letter back in its envelope but suddenly stopped dead.

"America's bicentennial, Knoxville, Tennessee," she whispered.

"Give me that!" Sawyer shouted as he roughly took the letter from her.

"This letter wasn't written to you," she stated accusingly. "You wrote this letter. Your name's not Sawyer, is it?"

His eyes menacing, he replied through gritted teeth:

"Now it is. I'm a conman, just like he was."

He slowly went back to his previous position on the bed and for a moment neither of them spoke a word.

"Why do you want me to hate you?" Kate finally asked.

Sawyer raised his eyes to meet hers and what he saw in them was just unbearable.

"Don't you pity me," he said with a low, threatening voice. "Get out!" 

But, to his surprise, Kate didn't move.

"Get the hell out!" he repeated, but not as vigorously as he had previously done.

Why wasn't she leaving? Didn't he just prove to her what an awful human being he was? Because this letter might have been written to Frank Sawyer, but it could easily apply to him. How many lives had he ruined? How many kids had seen their father kill himself in shame and despair after one of his cons?

Kate had to be disgusted with him. But yet she was still standing there, staring intensely at him. Sawyer looked away, unable to bear the understanding he could discern in her green eyes.

And then she spoke, the tone of her voice leaving him no choice but to gaze at her again.

"I want to kill him because…"

She paused briefly before continuing with determination.

"… because as long as he's alive, my mother and I will never have anything good. We're… trapped."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"… because as long as he's alive, my mother and I will never have anything good. We're… trapped."

The look in his eyes showed her that he understood perfectly how hard it was for her to say those words. To admit that she was planning a murder, to tell him something she had never told anyone, tell him what had hurt her enough she was about to end someone's life.

He didn't interrupt her, quietly waiting for her to say more. Slowly, she walked to the bed and sat at the end of it, crossing her legs under her, facing "Sawyer." For a moment she played with her drink, watching the clear liquid move from one side to the other. At last, she spoke again.

"Up to the time I was five, my mother was married to a wonderful man. His name was…is… Sam Austen. He is in the military. I used to spend every possible moment with him, he taught me everything I know about the outdoors…"

Lost in her memories, she said nothing for several seconds.

"So, when I was 5," she continued, "they divorced and Sam moved away. I begged him to take me with him, but he wouldn't. I was desperate. Why wouldn't he take me? Didn't he love me? Wasn't I good enough for him? For years I tried to be the perfect girl. Maybe then he'd change his mind and take me away from the hell home had become the day Wayne had walked into our lives. But it never happened."

She paused and finished all of her drink at once, as if to give herself the strength to go on. Her voice was weak when she did.

"About a month ago, I learned that… that Sam wasn't my biological father. That Wayne was."

Gazing into Sawyer's eyes, she saw, for a fugitive instant, some compassion in them.

"That's why Sam didn't take me. Because that disgusting man is a part of me," she explained angrily. "Will always be. Because every time Sam looks at me he sees Wayne and his wife's betrayal."

"Killing him is not going to change that," Sawyer stated evenly, almost gently.

Kate sighed.

"I know. But I took an insurance policy on his life, benefiting my mother. If he dies, she'll get the money. She'll be free to find herself a nice man, who'd take care of her…"

"A man like Sam," Sawyer said impassively, but Kate knew what he was thinking. He was thinking how futile her hopes were. Sam was not coming back. Her life would never go back to the way it was when she was a little kid.

She knew all that, of course. But killing Wayne wasn't about the past. It was about the future.

"Yes, a man like him," she replied firmly. "And then I'll finally be free to run away from this place. Go somewhere no one knows me. Knows him."

Sawyer cocked his head to the side as he stared at her pensively.

"But what if the feds suspect you?" he finally asked. "They'll chase you, put you in jail if they catch you."

Kate nodded gravely.

"I know. But I'd rather take the chance than stay here. I already feel like I'm in prison."

There was a moment of silence before Sawyer spoke again.

"Let me ask you something, Freckles. Why don't you leave without killing him?"

That was the main question, Kate knew it. The one reason she was ready to become a murderer.

For years she had tried to find another way to go than murder, without finding any. For years she had believed that she couldn't do it. But now that she knew he was a part of her, that she was bad, now that she knew there was no way Sam would ever think of her as good, she hated Wayne so much that she felt ready to kill him.

With fire in her eyes, she finally replied to Sawyer's question.

"Because I don't want to leave my mother alone with him. I need to protect her."

"And what if she doesn't want to be protected? What if she's happy with her choice? What if the man she really loves, really needs is Wayne, and not Sam?" he asked successively, almost angrily, as if he'd been desperate to make her change her mind.

Kate was shaken with his sudden change of attitude, as well as the possibility he suggested.

"That's impossible," she said blankly.

Sawyer looked down and clenched his jaw.

"Sometimes love is hard to understand, Freckles. It makes people do things they'd never though they'd do…"

Troubled, Kate realised that he was referring to the fact that his father had killed his wife. There was no excuse for such a gesture, but it had probably happened because he had just loved her too much. Could it be the same for her own mother? Could she love Wayne so much she was ready to forgive his beatings? His drinking? It was hard to believe.

They both sat in silence for a while, lost in unpleasant thoughts. Finally, Kate said:

"We need to talk about something more fun."

Sawyer looked up and she handed him her glass so he could fill it up again. But he didn't move. Instead, a big smile crept on his face.

"Alright, Sassafrass," he drawled. "But if you want to drink… you've got to play."

Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Play what?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The game they played was called 'I never'. It was a stupid game, really, a game he'd said was meant to get to know people better.

She had to admit it had been instructive... well, it had been if you were able to read between the lines. The fact that he had worn pink, been to Disneyland or never voted Democrat didn't mean much per se, but their sum told her a few important things about his past.

But aside from those things he had done, there was a lot she had learned about who he was. He was a smart, strong-willed, funny man... yet an insecure, lonely and desperate man. She had never met anyone like him. But all those contradictions made him very attractive to her. And if you added his muscular chest, blue eyes, dimples... stubble… big hands… well, it was easy to believe how neglected housewives would fall for him.

Realizing she was checking him out shamelessly, Kate reprimanded herself. This guy wasn't her type at all. What she wanted, needed, was a man like Tom, the only serious boyfriend she'd have had. An honest, righteous man... a good man.

Plus, she wasn't going to be just another conquest of his, she told herself with determination.

In an effort to forget her attraction for him, Kate decided that she had drank enough for one night. Wanting to put down her glass on the bedside table opposite to the one Sawyer was using, she stretched herself while supporting her weight on her right arm. But as she put down the tumbler, she made a wrong move and her right hand slipped. In a split second, she brutally fell to the floor, banging her head against the wooden table.

As she fell, she closed her eyes and, when she reopened them an instant later, Sawyer's concerned face was hovering over hers.

"You okay, Freckles?"

Kate winced before nodding, knowing she had just made a fool of herself. Evidently, now that he knew she was fine, Sawyer found the situation highly amusing.

"Don't laugh!" she warned him as she tried to get back on the bed.

"I'm not," he replied, trying to repress a laugh as he took her hand to help her out.

"Then why can I still see those dimples?" she countered, doing her best herself not to grin.

Sawyer took a sip of vodka, hiding behind his drink, but Kate was no fool. Acting as though she was annoyed with him, she sent him a dark look as she undid her ponytail, wanting to rub her aching head.

But as her hair cascaded on her shoulders, she noticed Sawyer sobering up all of a sudden. His gaze rested on her for too long and she blushed. Noticing the redness on her cheeks, he quickly looked away.

Did he find her attractive? She shook her head mentally. She doubted that he was the type of guy to be troubled with some flowing hair! But there was something going on and she had to do something to bring back the playfulness between them. If things stayed uncomfortable, she'd probably have no choice but to leave and the idea brought her close to panic. She wasn't ready to go back home, or whatever she was supposed to call that place. She knew that at one point she would leave, but right now she felt like there was more to come, that there was something else they had to do for each other before going their own way.

Turning her back to him, she pointed at the back of her head and asked:

"Did I crack my head open?"

For a couple of seconds nothing happened and she feared she'd be on her way the next minute. But then she felt gentle fingers rubbing her head.

"No, but you have a good bump, Sheena," he drawled with a smile in his voice.

Kate cringed in response and then, relieved everything seemed to be back to normal, she faced him again. But before she could say anything, his warm hands were on her cheeks and his lips on hers.

The contact only lasted briefly and he pulled back, going back to his former position on the bed. Seeing that she seemed in shock, he shrugged and offered:

"I couldn't help myself. You're just so damn cute when you're whining..."

He smiled, looking content with himself. Kate's heart was still racing from his touch and she didn't want to try and understand why.

"I wasn't whining," she protested.

"Yes, you were," he replied with a huge smile.

She looked down, hiding a grin.

"Well... It really hurt," she replied, causing him to raise his eyes to the ceiling and shaking his head in a mocking manner.

To his gesture, Kate only smiled. She enjoyed their meaningless banter. For once, it really felt easy to be her true self. In fact, she didn't remember feeling that comfortable, even with Tom. The realisation surprised her. How could this happen? Did he feel the same way? Her mind was too clouded with alcohol to give it much thought. Instead, she proceeded to tie her hair up again.

But a split second later Sawyer's hand was on her forearm.

"Leave it down," he simply said, his voice raspy and low, his gaze intense.

Kate glanced at him with question marks in her eyes and he averted her stare. He seemed annoyed with himself, angry even. It seemed to Kate he had acted on an impulse and now he was regretting having shown her something true, something he really felt. He probably always planned every single word he said to women...

Kate's heart sank at the thought. Hadn't this man ever been in love? Hadn't he ever known what it felt to be with someone who knew the real him, as opposed to the character he played? It seemed to Kate as though, tonight, she had been privileged to see a glimpse of his true self.

Telling him about her plan, about Wayne, had meant a lot to her. She still didn't know if she, or he, would change their minds about their murder plans. All that she knew is that there was one more thing she could do for him: prove to him that she didn't consider him as a bad person. That someone could know him and still want to be close to him, to comfort him. Maybe that's all he needed, really.

So, slowly, Kate put her left hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her. His hesitant gaze met her assured one and, not breaking eye contact till the last second, Kate captured his lips.

For a short moment their kiss was a chaste one. But then some kind of frenzy got the better of them. Soon Kate's arms were around his neck while his hands came to rest on her waist. Their tongues met and, when she heard him moan, she totally lost herself in him. His strong hands were soft against her skin, his lips were demanding but tender...

They eventually had to breathe, and Sawyer pulled back a little. He locked his blue eyes to her green ones, seeming unsure as to what do to now, as if he couldn't believe she could seriously want to be with him that way.

But she did. One by one, she undid his shirt's buttons while he looked at her in true amazement. She smiled at him as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and something changed in his eyes. They became softer, filled with reverence. In one swift motion, he sent her Janis Joplin t-shirt flying to the floor...

Free to let go for the first time in their lives, they let their feelings overcome their reason...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Sawyer couldn't sleep.

Not that he wasn't tired, because he was. Physically as well as mentally.

He had a tiny, macho smile thinking about the last few hours. He had rarely been with a girl with such stamina! She had been insatiable, as though he was giving her something she had been deprived of for a long, long time. As though being with him made her forget about all the pain she had endured throughout her life.

His smile vanished and he turned his head slightly to the right to gaze at Kate. She was sleeping peacefully, her back to him, both her hands on the arm he had wrapped around her. The television set was still on, shedding a flickering light on her. She looked so fragile, it just broke his heart to know how tormented she really was. He sighed, detaching his eyes from her gracious form. He had to admit it to himself: he cared about her. She was special to him. How come? How could this happen? He had become an expert at keeping such feelings at bay. How could she, in barely one night, stir such emotions inside of him?

It was as though being with her had given him a glimpse of how good life could be. During those moments with her, he could easily have pretended that he was someone else. Someone worthy of being loved.

But he wasn't, far from that. He was thirty-five years old. What had he done with his life? In short, he was a lonely conman who hated himself. The fact was that his life held no significant meaning; he had no role to fulfil on Earth, even though he tried to make himself believe he did. He had made it his life's mission to kill the man who had ruined his life and started him on this self-destructive path.

Sawyer snorted. How pathetic was that? Killing Frank would never give him back the life he should've had.

The fact was that even if he had been able to surrender to the feelings Kate stirred inside of him, who said she would have wanted him? Sleeping with him couldn't have meant that much to her. She had been drunk. She had needed some comfort and the fact was that so had he. But come morning they'd go their own way, they'd face their own destiny.

Meeting Kate had been one last curve ball life had thrown at him, that's all. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was morning when, a few hours later, it was Kate's turn to open her eyes. For a moment she couldn't tell where she was, whose chest her hand was resting on.

Then she remembered, and smiled.

Raising her chin, she gazed at Sawyer and her grin grew wider. He was sleeping with his mouth open and looked hilarious. It made Kate realise just how much she liked the comical side of him she had seen a glimpse of.

Her eyes then fell on his hands, those hands that had proved to be quite expert on her body. She blushed at the thought, before the realisation hit her: it was his job to seduce women. That's how he tricked them into giving him their money…

Even though she knew full well Sawyer hadn't fooled her into anything, she felt disgusted at the idea that she probably had been just another number on his list. Another conquest of his.

No, she told herself as she glanced at him again. She had seen some genuine feelings in his eyes, she was certain of it. He might not want to take this further, but whether they liked it or not they shared a connection. What they had found in each other they had never found before in anyone else.

Kate closed her eyes and sighed. What she going to do now? Was she going to put her plan into play tonight? She felt so confused! She needed to think this through. Going away for a few days sounded like a good idea right now. Her mother would have to take care of herself while she was gone, she decided.

And what about Sawyer? How did she feel about him? How did he feel about her? While she prayed he'd decided not to kill that man he'd chased for so long, she was under no illusions that he wouldn't. His revenge vow had been too important for too long for one night to change everything. 

But maybe she could convince him to take a few days off with her? Drive away, try to make him realise he wasn't a bad man. Make him understand he wasn't responsible for this whole mess his parents had created.

Kate had always been a girl of action, and so coming up with that plan felt good to her. Even though a part of her would have liked to stay all day in Sawyer's arms, she just couldn't just do nothing, couldn't wait for him to get up and leave her stranded there.

Determinedly, she rolled out of bed and started looking for her scattered clothes. A minute later, as she bent to put on her jeans, she heard a joyful voice from behind her.

"There are better ways to wake a man up, Freckles, but not many," Sawyer drawled.

Knowing what kind of show she had just been putting on for him, she blushed. She finished buttoning her jeans before turning to gaze at him. He was grinning, showing off his lovely dimples and they exchanged a look as they both replayed the last few hours in their minds. Fighting her impulse to get back in bed with him, knowing they had to talk about more serious things, Kate looked down. 

"You're leaving," Sawyer said. It was more of a statement than a question and even though he tried to make it seem as though he didn't care, his pain was obvious to Kate. She sat on the bed.

"Yes… but I don't have to leave alone," she replied softly.

Sawyer's eyes met hers and in them she saw just how hard it was for him to believe that she could really want to be with him. The truth was that she wasn't really sure whether or not she wanted him to say yes.

"I need to think… think about what I'm going to do next," she added, wanting him to focus on anything other but the fact that she'd suggested she cared about him.

"Are you going to kill him?" he wanted to know, staring at her intensely.

Was she? Did she still need to kill Wayne as badly as she did before meeting Sawyer? Had something changed?

"No... At least not now," she answered and Sawyer seemed somewhat relieved. It surprised Kate. Did he really care what she did? 

"What about you? Are you going to kill that man… Sawyer?" she asked hesitantly.

For a short moment, he looked as though he was going to say no. There was something in his eyes that told her that their night together had meant something to him. That he cared about her, that she hadn't been just another one night stand. Kate was unable to her heart from filling with hope, but that hope was crushed when he avoided her stare and spoke again.

"Yeah," he muttered.

What could she say now? She was desperate to stop him, so she said the only thing she could think of.

"You don't… You had nothing to do with all this," she pleaded. "You don't have to get revenge for your parents. I'm sure they'd prefer for you to be happy than for you to kill him…"

As Sawyer jerked his head up and shot her a threatening look, Kate knew she had gone too far. She got up and stood tall next to the bed, but she still had more to say.

"Come with me," she implored. "Let's drive away for a few days."

As he looked down, Kate could have sworn he was tempted for an instant, but it didn't last. His features grew hard again, his jaw clenched. His blue eyes were cold when he faced her again and spoke.

"There are things you just can't run away from, Freckles."

His words hit her like a truck. Maybe she was just a coward after all, running away, away from her life. She was both hurt and disheartened. Did facing their problems really equal murdering a man? Wasn't there any other choice, any other way for them to be happy?

There wasn't anything else to say. Miserable, Kate slipped into her boots and retrieved her bag, trying to keep the tears stinging her eyes from falling. Her hand on the doorknob, she couldn't help but glance one last time at Sawyer, who was still in bed. They exchanged a meaningful look, both of them sad but determined, before Kate turned his back to him. She was about to open the door when she heard a movement behind her."Kate!"

Taken aback, Kate turned around again as two powerful hands encircled her waist, and in a flash her whole body was pressed against Sawyer's. His lips crushed hers and he kissed her fervently. She couldn't do anything but abandon herself to him. It was as though, through his kiss, he was telling her all that he couldn't say out loud.

They were holding onto each other as though they were the only thing preventing the other from sinking. But it wasn't enough. When they finally parted, Kate knew there was nothing else she could do to stop the next course of events. But there was one last thing she needed to know.

"I don't even know your real name," she whispered, still panting.

She saw him falter, but he, just like her, knew they were about to part forever. He probably figured he owed her the truth after all they had shared, she thought, as he let go of her and avert his eyes.

"James… James Ford," he finally let out.

"_James_", she repeated to herself. That was it, she thought, now unable to hold back her tears. She had failed. He was going to kill Sawyer and then he'd kill himself, she was certain of it. She couldn't stand it. She had to leave, _now_.

"Be safe, James," was all she could say as she put her backpack on her shoulder.

For a brief second his eyes locked into hers before he looked away once more.

"Yeah," he replied cynically.

Kate stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"… you know, I've been doing this for a while and a man who buys a compact 357 with hollow point loads… he's not looking to scare or steal," the man said as he handed Sawyer the gun. "He's looking to kill. But when it comes down to it if he finds he doesn't have what it takes to do the job…" he trailed off.

"Your sales pitch needs some work," Sawyer replied grumpily.

The guy was getting on his nerves with all his talking, but Sawyer couldn't just turn and walk away. This man had been recommended by Hibbs, and Sawyer hadn't come all the way to Australia only to find that he couldn't get himself a gun.

"What I'm saying is, you look a man in the eye and you point a gun at him, you find out who you really are, mate. And should you find you're not a killer, there's no refund."

"Won't be a problem," Sawyer replied, trying to sound more convinced that he really was. He was obviously no angel, but stealing was one thing. Murder was another. Was he really a killer? The question had been bugging him ever since Kate had left the hotel, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

The transaction was quickly completed and Sawyer walked outside. The bright sun blinded him and he blinked before putting his sunglasses back on. As he slowly walked back to his rental car, he felt completely worn-out. He'd always thought that when he was finally about to get his revenge, he'd feel…invigorated. That he'd be eager to look into Frank Sawyer's eyes and read aloud the words of a traumatised child, written so long ago. That the best moment of his life would be pulling the trigger, knowing the conman before him was experiencing the same terror his mother had felt during her last seconds on Earth.

But that wasn't how he felt, far from that. He couldn't help but think about what Kate had said to him. Was killing Frank something he really wanted to do or was it something he felt he owed his parents? Truth was that Frank hadn't been the one who had shot them. If Frank deserved to die for ruining lives, did that mean he did too? Had he caused such tragedies himself? Probably. Did that mean there was no possible redemption for him or Frank?

Sawyer sat in the car, but didn't start it. Instead, he sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Once again, Kate's image appeared to him. All he wanted right now was to lie on a warm bed with Kate in his arms. He missed being with her, he had to admit it. Had he been a fool not to take her up on her offer? Frank could have waited a little longer. Then why had he refused? Because he was afraid she'd later choose revenge over him? Or was it because he was too scared to change his life, to take the necessary leap of faith?

Sawyer opened his eyes and turned the ignition. Who was he kidding? Kate was probably glad he hadn't joined her in her flight. What she needed was a good, stable man who'd convince her she was worthy of being loved, of being happy.

And he just wasn't that man.

Sawyer clenched his teeth, released the brakes and headed towards his destiny.

Sitting on her motorcycle, Kate was exceeding the speed limit by a lot, but she didn't care. The need to put as much distance between her past and her future was just too great.

She was on her way to Tallahassee, Florida, to see Sam. That's all she knew for now. When she'd get there she'd decide what to do next. No one knew where she was at the moment and that was fine with her. There was only one person she wished could be by her side, but she did her best not to think about him, as it was much too painful.

She had barely eaten or slept since leaving him behind. The last few days had been so intense; she was having a hard time keeping herself together. She felt as though she was about to lose her mind. And when, minutes later, she saw a road sign to Tennessee, reminding her too vividly of James, that fragile balance was destroyed. Tears invaded in her eyes and, no matter how hard she tried to stop them from falling, she just couldn't. She was so worried about him!

Deciding she didn't particularly want to crash into anything, Kate pulled over in a motel's parking lot and tried to dry her tears. She held on as long as it took for her to get a room for the night. But as soon as she closed the door behind her, she broke down and collapsed on the bed.

Now that she was alone, she didn't try to stop the sobs from shaking her body as she wondered if he had already killed the man he'd held responsible for the miserable life he was leading. Had he then turned the gun on himself? Was he now lying in a morgue somewhere, waiting for someone to inexpectedly claim his body? Why couldn't he understand, the way he'd made her realise, that he was the only one who could change his life for the better? To be happy, finally?

She missed him so much! She had only been with him for a few short hours, yet meeting him had changed her outlook on life. How could that happen? How could he become so important to her, so fast?

Because he really was important to her. And even if it probably would have been hard at times, being on the road with him, trying to get over their baggage, it would have been worth it. Life without him seemed harder than with him, she realised.

And then it hit her.

She was in love with him.

Of course he wasn't the archetype of a good man, but he was a decent human being, she had been lucky enough to see it.

Kate suddenly sat up, stunned. James had been right: her mom really loved Wayne. She saw something in him Kate just couldn't.

Kate closed her eyes and let herself fall back on the bed. Being with Wayne was her mother's conscious choice, not hers. It wasn't up to her to decide whether her mother, Diane, should be with him or not, she now realised. Her mom would never forgive her for murdering the man she had been with for decades. How close had she been to making a terrible mistake? She loved her mother and had wanted to protect her. But until she explicitly asked her some help, there was nothing Kate could do.

But even though Kate could respect that Diane loved Wayne, that disgusting man didn't have to be a part of her life. She wasn't going back to Iowa, she knew that much. But her mother must be worried about her, she thought, since she hadn't heard from her daughter since she had left the restaurant, days ago.

Right beside the bed was a phone. It would be so easy to grab it and call Diane, to make things right. To tell her mom all that she'd never had the guts to tell her. Tell her she wasn't coming back. To move on with her life for good.

In a way, she owed it to James.

But leaving home for good wasn't going to solve everything. Kate still had to come to terms with the fact that Wayne was her real father. That she was who she was. In a way, becoming a fugitive would have made things easier, as she would have had no choice but to adopt a new name, a new identity.

Kate stared at the phone for a long moment, before she finally made her decision.

"Sweet Shrimp", the sign said. Exactly as written in the file Hibbs had given him.

Sawyer turned off the engine, and for a second, he didn't move. Part of him couldn't believe it had all come down to this moment.This was it, the end of the road for him. James Ford was about to murder the man responsible for his parents' untimely death. He was about to become a murderer himself.

Knowing there was no point in contemplating that fact, he reached under the passenger seat and grabbed the gun he had just bought. Slowly, methodically, he loaded it, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. But he didn't care. He didn't want to think about anything other than the task ahead: ending the lives of two despicable men.

Hiding the gun inside his leather jacket, Sawyer stepped out of the car and closed the door. There was another customer ordering, so he took his time walking up to the shrimp stand. The last steps he would take in his life, he couldn't help thinking. Would he kill Frank and immediately turn the gun on himself? Would he take a moment to enjoy the satisfaction of avenging his parents' death or would guilt and self-loathing be so strong he wouldn't be able to stand living for another second? Would he kill himself right there, falling beside Frank's body? No-one who knew him would be surprised that it had ended this way. And what about Kate? Would she learn about his death?"

A part of him was screaming at him not to do this, that it wasn't what he really wanted. A part of him was desperate to just turn around and go back to her.

"Only two choices, shrimp in mild sauce, shrimp in hot sauce," the the man asked Sawyer suddenly, who until that moment hadn't realised he was standing so close to the truck. "Pal?"

"I'll go with the hot," he heard himself say.

"Hot it is," Frank said as he turned around to pack the shrimp.

Choices. Was it what it was all about? He had tried to make Kate see her mother had made a choice for herself. Conceiving a child with Wayne, divorcing Sam, staying for over 20 years with an abusive man. It was her decision and Kate wasn't responsible for it. He hoped she had realised that in time and hadn't killed Wayne…

As he stared blankly at Frank's back, a thought was nagging him. Kate's mom had made a choice and it'd had some unwanted repercussions on her daughter. Wasn't it the same in his case? His mother had decided to cheat on his father. His father had decided to make an orphan of his son. Did he now have to live his life in accordance with his parents' bad choices and mistakes? Did he have to try to make it right? Because, as in Kate's case, it just was an impossible thing to do.

"Fellow American, huh? Good for you. Missed the lunch rush. Where are you from?"

"Tennessee," Sawyer replied mechanically, his mouth dry and his hand shaking.

Too late to go back, he tried to convince himself. His heart beating a hundred miles an hour, his palms sweaty, Sawyer cocked the gun.

This moment was all about his parents and his need to avenge them. So why was the only thing he could hear, the only thing he could see, was Kate? Why did he so badly want to believe he had a shot at a better life? That he could get a second chance?

He had looked into Kate's eyes and knew she cared about him at some level. She hadn't asked him flippantly to run away with her. She needed him, maybe as much as he needed her.

"Love the south. Miss those southern women," Frank commented. "In Australia long?"

He hadn't wanted to become Sawyer! He had only done what he had needed to in order to survive the horrible events of his childhood. Kate had seen something good in him, he wanted to believe it so badly!

"Not really," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. An intense fight was raging inside of him.

"For what it's worth, we've got a special at the truck here. Half price for all Americans. Name's Frank, by the way."

"James."

We all make mistakes, he thought. Frank had made some, so had he. So had his mother and father. There was still a chance for him, though. And for Kate, if it wasn't too late. If he arrived in time.

When Frank turned to hand Sawyer the shrimp, he was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"I need a ticket on your next flight to the United States," Sawyer asked the young woman at the Oceanic counter. 

He had come here directly from Frank's shrimp stand, and hadn't looked back. He'd had to make a choice between love and revenge, knowing he couldn't have both. And now that the choice was made, he somehow didn't think that it would change, no matter what happened with Kate. He had understood a lot of things these past few days…

"Where exactly in the United States, sir?"

"Anywhere," he replied impatiently. He couldn't wait to find Kate, his sanity depended on it. He had no idea how he'd find her or what he was going to tell her when he did, but for now all that mattered was getting back to his own country.

"Let me see... Flight 815 from Sydney to Los Angeles. It leaves tomorrow at noon," the Australian woman informed him.

"Nothing before that??"

He couldn't wait that long! He'd go crazy staying here with nothing to do.

"The direct flights are all booked, sir."

"Then I'll make a connection somewhere!" he replied with irritation.

The Oceanic employee shot him a warning stare before looking at her computer screen again.

"Very well, sir..." After a couple of seconds, she added: "There's a flight to Melbourne leaving in two hours, and from there you could land in Los Angeles 22 hours later. But I've got to tell you that you'll be in Los Angeles just 12 hours earlier than with flight 815..."

"I don't care. How much?"

Sawyer paid for the ticket and, ready to stalk to the gate he'd be boarding at, turned around briskly. Doing so, he crashed into a short, blond man who'd been waiting in line.

"Hey, watch it, mate!" the man said, annoyed.

Sawyer looked threateningly at him from head to toe, unimpressed, and retorted:

"Something wrong, Limey runt?"

"Forget it," the blond muttered before stepping up to the counter.

As Sawyer was walking away, he heard the man purchase a ticket to for flight 815.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

22 hours after Sawyer left Sydney, he finally set foot on US soil. The trip had been extremely long and even the few books he had bought at the airport hadn't kept him from thinking about Kate and his parents, about his past and his future. He was beginning to come to terms with his difficult childhood and that wasn't something he had ever envisioned doing. He was slowly letting go of the hatred he'd had in his heart for so long, and he owed all that to Kate. How lucky was he to have found someone who could understand how he felt? Who didn't judge him? Who saw behind the walls he had built around his true self, around James?

The question remained whether Kate would be interested in pursuing some kind of relationship with him. And even though he tried not to think about it, even though he knew he'd never kill Frank, he was scared as hell to face her again. How would she react? He didn't know.

But first things first. Right now, he had to find her. During the long flight, in between short periods of agitated sleep, he had hatched a plan. First, he was going to call Kate's mother at the diner. Maybe she had heard from her daughter? Maybe Kate was back at the restaurant? He didn't want to get his hopes up, but right now he had to believe he was going to find her, and soon.

Knowing he'd probably need to catch another flight, Sawyer didn't even leave the airport to call 411. He sat down wearily in the quietest area he could find, grabbed his cell phone and dialled. It wasn't easy for the operator to find the number of the diner where he'd met Kate, since he didn't know its exact address or what it was called. The woman gave him two numbers to try, and he was lucky enough to get a positive answer after dialling the first one.

Nervous, Sawyer sat there for a long minute before exhaling loudly and dialling the precious number. When a woman picked up, he asked for Kate.

"She's not here," the woman replied, obviously chewing gum. Sawyer sighed. She seemed to be the overly made-up waitress he'd expected to find back when he had first set foot in the restaurant.

"Do you know where she is?" he asked.

"Who is this?" she countered, bluntly.

"I'm a friend of Kate's, now, do you know where she might be?" he replied, trying his best to remain polite.

"A friend of Kate's?!" the woman said like it was the most surprising thing ever.

"Have you seen her recently?" he tried once again.

"No, in fact, her mother is going crazy trying to find her."

"Is she there?" Sawyer wondered, making reference to Kate's mom.

"I just told you-"

"Her mother!" he cut her off, annoyed.

"Diane's shift only begins at 8 pm," the waitress replied with exaggerated deference.

His patience waning rapidly, Sawyer shouted:

"Then give me her home phone number!

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

This woman had to be the most unnerving person on the planet! Trying to calm down, he tried another way.

"I... I have information about where Kate might be," he lied, but the woman didn't bite.

"You just said you were looking for her!"

"Just give me the damn number!!"

"I can't, I could get fired for this."

"Look, then just tell me what's Diane's last name. Does she still go by Austen?" If he could at least get that piece of information from her, he figured he'd call 411 again and find Diane.

"No, she doesn't. If you really were a friend of Kate's, you'd know," she mocked him.

"Damn!" he shouted, attracting curious stares from travellers around him. As angrily as you could hang up a cell phone, Sawyer cut the conversation off. He certainly wasn't going to wait here like a moron until Kate's mom took her shift, in 6 HOURS!!! He had to do something. And he knew what.

He was going back to Iowa to talk to Diane.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Slowly, Kate dialled the diner's number, knowing that, at this hour, her mother would just be beginning her shift.

After three rings, the phone was picked up and Kate asked for Diane. A short moment later, she heard her mother's voice at the end of the line and a wave of emotion washed over her.

"Mom?" she was barely able to say, choking back her tears.

"Katherine!! Oh my god, where are you?! Are you okay??"

Her mother seemed frantic and Kate did her best to reassure her.

"I'm fine, ma. I just... needed to leave town for a while. I'm okay, really."

"Where are you? I was so worried about you, I... I thought maybe..." she didn't finish her sentence, but Kate realised Diane had feared she had ended her life. It surprised her. Had her mother sensed how unhappy she'd been? Then why hadn't she said anything?

Pushing that thought aside, Kate replied:

"I'm on my way to see Dad. I ... I need to live my life, Ma. And I don't want Wayne to be part of it, that's all."

Diane's voice suddenly seemed more tense.

"Katherine, I told you-"

Kate didn't let her finish.

"I know, Ma, I do. You love him, even though I really can't understand why. But it's not up to me to judge you. You're not asking me to try to save you from him. I finally realised that."

For a moment her mother didn't say a thing, but when she did, her voice was shaking.

"Oh, honey... I'm so sorry I put you through all this! I did a lot of thinking, while you were gone, and I... I know you wished I'd let you go with Sam, when you were young, but I just couldn't. I couldn't let you go. I'm sorry you had to put up with Wayne because of me. But I love him, Kate, I just can't help it...!" she cried.

"It's okay, Ma," Kate replied, tears rolling down her cheeks. "All that matters is that I've realised all this before it was too late."

"How come you did, Katherine? After all those years?"

"I... I met someone much smarter than I am," she answered, smiling a little despite the sadness she felt at the thought of him. "Meeting him made me realise how we don't choose the one we fall in love with. It's not obvious what a good person he really is, but... He made me understand a lot of things."

There was a silence before Diane spoke again.

"That man... Is he with you now?" she asked softly.

"No," Kate replied through her silent tears. "He's... There was something he needed to take care of."

It was clear to Diane that her daughter didn't want to say more, so she didn't insist. In the background, Kate could hear someone calling for her mother. It was time to say goodbye.

"Now you take care of yourself, honey," Diane said. "Call me when you decide on what to do, okay?"

"I will, Ma."

"I love you."

That wasn't something Kate had often heard from her mother and, overcome by emotion, she had a hard time replying.

"Me too."

When she hung up the phone, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, Kate laid back onto the bed and closed her eyes, exhausted.

Within seconds, she was asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

It was just past 9 pm when Sawyer forcefully pushed open the diner door. Nervous, he stepped inside and looked around for Diane. For a second he didn't see her and, if possible, he tensed up even more.

At last, he noticed her coming out of the kitchen, holding two plates, and their eyes met. Unexpectedly, she held his gaze for a few seconds and slowed down her pace. Did she know who he was, he wondered? Had the gum-chewing waitress told Diane about his earlier call?

While Kate's mother served her clients, Sawyer sat down at the counter and ran a weary hand over his eyes. He was mentally exhausted. Would he ever find her? Would he ever get to hold her again? He had done a good job avoiding those questions until now, but now that he was nearing his goal, doubt and fear filled his heart.

Sawyer opened his eyes and looked up when he heard footsteps coming his way. Diane was standing before him, behind the counter. She was staring at him intensely, but with an unexpected gentleness.

"Are you the man she loves?" she asked softly after a moment.

Sawyer's breath caught in his throat. He was stunned. Could Kate have told her mother she loved him? He had a hard time believing that. And… love, so soon?

"Did she tell you that?" he couldn't help but ask.

"She didn't have to," Diane replied with a little smile.

Still in shock, Sawyer tried to figure out what his own feelings for Kate were. Of course, taking four planes in 36 hours to find her made it obvious he cared for her, but did he love her? Love. What was it exactly? To trust someone enough to open up completely? To accept them for what they are? To feel like life wasn't possible without them? If that's what it was, then Sawyer had to accept that, for the first time in his life, he was in love.

Strangely, the realisation didn't scare him. Being in love and being loved in return was probably all he ever wanted in his life, without even realising it. Now more confident that Kate felt the same way towards him, he suddenly didn't feel tired anymore. He was going to find Kate and tell her he loved her. Tell her all he wanted from life was to be with her. Hopefully she'd react positively.

"I'm Diane, by the way," he suddenly heard, coming back to reality. Kate's mother was introducing herself, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"James," he replied and Diane was silent for a second or two, examining him.

"You could use something to eat," she said at last, ready to head towards the kitchen. "I'll bring you a-"

"No!" he exclaimed a bit too loud, stopping her dead in her tracks. "No, I'm not hungry," he said in a quieter voice. "Thanks. All I really want is to know where Kate is."

"Why? What do you want with her?" she wanted to know, her voice showing a hint of suspicion.

"I need to talk to her," he answered, unable to hide his desperation.

"If you need her so badly, why did you leave her?" Diane wondered.

"I thought... I thought there was something more important to me than her," he replied, staring down at his hands. "But I was so wrong," he ended in a murmur, surprised at his own admission.

When he looked up again, he saw some compassion in Diane's eyes.

"Kate is fine, James," she told him, putting her hand over his in an effort to comfort him. "I talked to her about an hour ago. She's on her way to see her father in Tallahassee."

"Is there any way to reach her? I need to find her, I need to!" Sawyer asked, urgency lacing his voice.

"Do you want me to call him? Her father? He could tell her to call you," Diane suggested.

"Yes," was all that he was able to say. He had never felt this grateful to somebody.

Diane was about to pick up the phone when a client asked for more coffee. Sawyer shot the poor man a deathly stare while Diane refilled his cup. He couldn't stand another second waiting for confirmation that Sam was indeed going to tell Kate to call him.

As he did his best to stay calm, Sawyer eyes fell on a newspaper on the counter. "Where's Oceanic flight 815?" said the big headline, causing Sawyer's jaw to drop. That flight… that flight was the one he'd almost taken. The one he's refused to take so he could be with Kate a few hours sooner.

Shaking with the knowledge he could have found death when he finally wanted to live, Sawyer silently thanked Kate. Twice in the last few days she had saved his life. Without her, he'd be no more.

Finally, Diane came back with her purse and rummaged through it until she extracted a small phone book. After a few seconds, she picked up the phone and started to dial. Sawyer was holding his breath, hoping Sam was home.

He was.

"Hello Sam, it's Diane. Sorry to call you this late, but it's important…" She paused. "Well, Kate is on her way to see you and… Yes, she's fine. She decided to leave Iowa, spread her own wings, that's all. She'll explain everything when she sees you."

While she was talking, Sawyer wrote down his cell phone number and handed it to Diane.

"Listen, Sam, I have a message for Kate. It's very important. Do you have a pen? Okay. She has to call (481) 516-2342 and ask for James. Thanks. Yes. Take care, Sam."

She hung up and Sawyer gave her an expectant look.

"He'll give her the message when he sees her," Diane said. "Meanwhile, you should try to get some sleep. There's a motel just-"

"I'm not tired," he cut her off. "I'm not going to wait here. I'm going down to Tallahassee."

Diane nodded, not surprised.

"Sam works at a recruiting office for the US Army. I don't know the exact address, but it shouldn't be too hard to find when you get there."

"Thank you," Sawyer said, getting up. "For everything," he added.

Diane grinned.

"She thinks you're a good man, you know. She said you've helped her a lot."

"She helped me more than I could ever repay her for," he replied, trying to contain his emotion. He and Diane exchanged a little smile before he walked away. As he was about to exit, a large trash can caught his eye. For a second he didn't move, as an idea formed inside his mind.

Then, slowly, he reached into his pocket, took out the letter he had written as a kid and threw it in the trash. Then, without a look back, he left the restaurant.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After talking to her mother, Kate had slept nearly 12 hours straight. Now, even though she felt rested, she was still very worried about James. Where was he now? Was he dead or alive?

On her way to Florida, she had stopped at a cybercafe, needing to find out if James had killed the real Sawyer or not. What if she could still find him and stop him? Searching the Internet, she had found nothing about a Mr. Sawyer being murdered, but that didn't prove anything. Since the news of the hour was a plane crash in the Pacific, some conman's death could easily have gone unnoticed.

As she stopped her motorcycle in front of the building where her father worked, Kate almost felt like turning around and leaving. It surprised her, since for so long she had thought being here, with Sam, away from Wayne, was the solution. But now that she was free to be here, to start over, there was something more important to her. All she wanted, really, was to find James. And that's what was she was going to do after talking to Sam, she decided.

Her step fast and determined, Kate pushed the door to the recruiting office. Her father was on the phone at a desk.

"I'll send one over to you, right," he said on the phone before noticing Kate. "I'll call you back later," he added before hanging up.

"Hi, Dad," Kate greeted him. Strangely, he didn't seem surprised to see her and she wondered why.

"Hey, Katie! I'm so glad to see you!"

The father and daughter hugged briefly, both smiling.

"So, your mother said you had left Iowa for good," Sam began when they pulled apart. "Is that true?"

"She called you?" Kate replied, taken aback.

"Yes, last night. She told me you'd explain."

Kate took a deep breath. There were things she needed to hear from Sam, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Why didn't you tell me, Dad?"

"Tell you what?" he wondered, sitting on the corner of his desk.

"I… I was making a scrapbook… A surprise for your birthday. So I called one of your COs to get some pictures of you in uniform. The pictures that he sent me had dates on the back. Photos of you in Korea up until 4 months before I was born. Why didn't you tell me that Wayne was my father? Why?"

Sam was obviously shocked that she knew about Wayne. It took him a moment before he told her calmly:

"I didn't tell you because he's not someone you'd have been proud to call your father. For all that matters, I'm your father, Katie, and it never has to change. In the end, the rest is irrelevant."

"Then why didn't you take me with you? You don't know how awful it has been for me all those years, Dad!"

"You were 5 years old. I wanted to take you along with me. She wouldn't let me; she threatened to get a paternity test. I didn't want you to ever find out Wayne was your biological father."

"Then why didn't you kill him? It would have been better for all of us!" she exclaimed, tears suddenly glistening in her eyes.

Sam raised a surprised eyebrow at her question, but replied gently:

"Because I don't have murder in my heart, Kate. And your mother loved him. I had no right to make that choice for her."

To that, Kate had nothing to say. She and Sam had arrived at the same conclusion. Kate shivered, thinking about how close she had come to making the biggest mistake of her life. Many lives would have been ruined if she had gone through with her plan to kill Wayne, it was now clear to her.

"Katie, I'd be happy if you came to live with me," her father told her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Kate smiled briefly, finally realising Sam would always be there for her, no matter what happened. Wayne didn't have to be a part of her life anymore. She was free, free to be the person she had always wanted to be. To do what she wanted to do. And right now, there was only one thing on her mind.

"Thanks, Dad, but… I don't know what I'm going to do yet. There's someone I need to find, first."

"Is it James?" Sam asked.

Kate couldn't believe her ears. How could he know about James?

"What??" was all she could say.

Sam smiled.

"Your mother gave me a message for you. Here. You have to call that number and ask for James."

Kate took the paper and stared at it for a long moment, flabbergasted. He was alive! He was looking for her! She could hardly believe it.

"Is that good news, Katie?" Sam wondered after a moment, a little worried.

"Yes, very good," she murmured, unable to take her eyes away from the piece of paper.

"Then... I'm guessing you're anxious to call that man, whoever he is," Sam said, a smile playing on his lips. "You can use that phone."

"Thanks," was all she could say, still in shock. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Did this mean he hadn't killed Sawyer? Did this mean he wasn't going to ruin his life and their chance to be together?

Forcing herself to breathe again, she dialled the number. She got it wrong the first time, being too nervous. At last, she succeeded.

"Kate," the voice immediately said on the other end. It was him, no doubt about it, and Kate suddenly felt weak as memories of their time together invaded her thoughts.

"James?" she replied after a beat, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn't do it, Kate. I couldn't," he said fervently.

Upon hearing those words, Kate was filled with relief, with joy. The thought that there was nothing left to keep them apart was overwhelming. They could be together now, if they wanted to. If he wanted to.

"Why didn't you?" she wondered.

"My horoscope said that I shouldn't," he joked, but Kate could read between the lines and she smiled.

"Where are you?" she asked, waiting to hear confirmation he was in Iowa.

"I'm in the parking lot," he replied softly.

It wasn't the answer she was expecting and for a split second she was lost.

"What?" she let out, but as she spoke she understood what he meant and slowly turned around to look outside the window.

And she saw him.

Wearing a black shirt and jeans, he was standing by her motorcycle, looking straight at her. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

Without a word, without her eyes leaving his, Kate hung up the phone.

"Everything alright, Katie?" Sam wondered as he approached her.

Coming back to reality, Kate nodded.

"Yes. I'll call you later Dad," she said, and Sam seemed to understand what was going on when he followed her gaze to the man standing outside.

Not waiting for her father's answer, Kate walked out of the building. She felt like running towards James, but something was holding her back. What if he didn't reciprocate the feelings she had for him?

They exchanged a gaze filled with uncertainty, and when he made a hesitant step in her direction, she felt such love for him that she couldn't help increasing her pace. He opened his arms to her and a second later he was holding her tight.

"Kate..."

"James…" they said at the same time. That made them smile and for a couple of seconds they just stood there, grinning, eyes locked. But then James' smile faded and his features grew serious.

His eyes dropped to her lips and suddenly Kate couldn't wait another second. Their lips crashed together and they kissed passionately. A kiss fuelled by the fear, desperation and hopelessness they had gone through lately. They had thought they'd never see each other again, but there they were, holding each other in a warm embrace. It was just too good to be true.

Eventually the time came when they had to breathe, but they didn't let go of each other. Her arms still wrapped around his neck, Kate put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling more peaceful than she ever had. Everything was falling into place.

"Freckles?" James said at last, making Kate smile upon hearing again the nickname he had found for her.

"Yes?" she replied, not moving.

"When I talked to your mom, she asked me if… if I was the man you…" he paused, hesitation obvious in his voice. What was he trying to say? In order to give him some confidence, Kate started to lovingly caress his neck. It seemed to have the desired effect, because he continued, "if I was the man you… you loved. She was just… saying that, right?"

Kate finally opened her eyes and looked at him. He was looking at her expectantly, uncertain as to how she would react. She smiled, thinking how well her mother had read her. Yes, she loved him. And even though she didn't know for sure what the future had in store for them, even though they was still a lot to learn about each other, even though they still had personal issues to resolve… she wanted him to know how he made her feel.

Tenderly, she cupped his face and kissed him, kissed him in a way that told him that there had never been any man she had loved the way she loved him. And when their lips parted, she saw a big dimpled smile on his face.

And he said the words she had longed to hear.

"I love you, too."

THE END

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this story! I'd like to thank every person who took the time to read or review this fic. Special thanks to the amazing **so original **who beta-ed this. She's the best beta ever and I owe her a lot!!! Thanks!!!!

Also, I have another fic in the works. I only have one chapter done and very little time to write, so I'll wait a little before posting it. This way, you won't have too long to wait in between chapters. I can already tell you that it's going to be called 'Two For The Road' (unless I can find a better title! ). Here's the summary: _When Oceanic's flight 815 crashed, what if Kate and Sawyer didn't fall on the beach with the other castaways? What if they find themselves into the jungle, instead?_

Thanks!

Jenn


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